An electronic credential may be required to complete a transaction (e.g. making a payment, providing proof of age) with a computer server. The computer server may employ cryptographic algorithms to authenticate the credential and thereby authorize the transaction. If the credential is contained within an electronic device (e.g. credit/payment card chip, e-passport, USB dongle), a credential reader may be required to access the electronic credential for authentication by the computer server.
The credential reader may be embedded within a communication device (e.g. point-of-sale terminal), in which case the computer server may complete the transaction with the communication device after successful authentication of the credential. This solution is not suitable, however, if the credential reader is not embedded within, or otherwise directly accessible to, a communication device that can complete the transaction.